The Boston Red Sox gave up on Edgar Renteria just one year after lavishing a four-year, $40 million contract on him, trading the shortstop to the Atlanta Braves on Thursday for third base prospect Andy Marte.

The move left Boston without a shortstop, but Red Sox senior adviser Bill Lajoie denied a much-rumored deal that would wheel Marte to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Julio Lugo. Lajoie said he expected to see Marte play for the Red Sox this year, putting him in the outfield or first base if it's necessary to get his bat in the lineup.

The Boston Red Sox gave up on Edgar Renteria just one year after lavishing a four-year, $40 million contract on him, trading the shortstop to the Atlanta Braves on Thursday for third base prospect Andy Marte.

The move left Boston without a shortstop, but Red Sox senior adviser Bill Lajoie denied a much-rumored deal that would wheel Marte to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Julio Lugo. Lajoie said he expected to see Marte play for the Red Sox this year, putting him in the outfield or first base if it's necessary to get his bat in the lineup.

Is Palmeiro still with the team? Answer: No. I could see that as a good reason for wanting to get traded, since he tried to throw Tejada under the bus after failing his drug test. Might've left a bad taste in his mouth...that, or Baltimore just wanted that whole episode behind them.

Anyways, the dealing of Renteria I fully expected, and it's something Boston desperately needed to do. Renteria was pretty awful this season, especially on the defensive end. Pretty much anyone else in the position will do, since nobody else in Major League Baseball had 30(!) errors this season.